Mobile terminal device and method for radiating heat therefrom

Abstract

In a mobile terminal device, at least one heat conduction layer formed of a member, such as copper, aluminum or carbon, being excellent in heat conductivity is provided inside a circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. The heat generated in the electronic components is promptly dispersed in the direction of the face of the circuit board by the heat conduction layer, and transferred from the whole face of the circuit board to the operation member, such as keys, and the housing, and then radiated to the outside. With this structure, the local temperature rise at the operation member and the housing can be suppressed, and the temperature on the surface of the mobile terminal device can be made uniform, without significantly increasing the cost and the thickness of the mobile terminal device. In addition, high-performance electronic components can be used by adopting this structure. Furthermore, the rigidity of the circuit board can be raised, and the reliability of the mobile terminal device can be improved.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Technical Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a mobile terminal device and a method for radiating heat therefrom, more particularly, to a structure of a circuit board in a mobile terminal device, on which heat-generating components are mounted, and to a method for radiating heat using the circuit board.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Mobile terminal devices as typified by mobile phones are provided with various functions, such as a video phone function, a photographing function and a TV broadcast receiving function, in addition to a voice communications function and a mail sending / receiving function. For the purpose of realizing these functions, efforts have been made to improve the processing capacities of mobile terminal devices. As mobile terminal devices are made high in function and performance, the power consumed in the electronic components mounted inside the mobile terminal devices increases. As a resu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The present invention is intended to provide a mobile terminal device capable of suppressing local temperature rising due to the heat generated in electronic components disposed inside and to provide a method for radiating the heat from the device.

[0031]With the configuration of the present invention described above, the heat generated in the electronic components is dispersed in the direction of the face of the circuit board by at least one heat conduction layer arranged in the circuit board on which the electronic components are mounted, transferred from the whole face of the circuit board to the operation member, such as keys, and the whole of the housing, further transferred to the other circuit board connected to the circuit board and the components mounted on the other circuit board, and still further transferred to the other housing accommodating the other circuit board, and then radiated to the outside. Hence, the temperatures of the operation member and the housing do not rise locally, and heat radiation can be carried out efficiently. With this simple heat-radiating structure, discomfort during operation due to local temperature rises can be relieved without significantly increasing the cost or the like and without increasing the thickness of the mobile terminal device.

[0033]A first effect of the present invention is that the local temperature rise at the operation member, such as keys, and the housing due to the heat generated in electronic components can be suppressed and that the temperature of the surface of the mobile terminal device can be made uniform. The reason is that the heat generated in the electronic components is dispersed in the direction of the face of the circuit board by at least one first heat conduction layer arranged in the circuit board on which the electronic components are mounted, transferred from the whole face of the circuit board to the operation member and the whole of the housing, further transferred to the other circuit board connected to the circuit board and the components mounted on the other circuit board, and still further transferred to the other housing accommodating the other circuit board, and then radiated to the outside.

[0034]In addition, a second effect of the present invention is that the heat generated in the electronic components can be radiated effectively without significantly increasing the cost or the like and without increasing the thickness of the mobile terminal device. The reason is that the heat generated in the electronic components can be dispersed by a simple structure wherein heat conduction members are arranged in layers inside the circuit board and then radiated by the operation member and the whole of the housing, without installing heatsinks made of metal, fans or the like that are large in size.

[0035]Furthermore, high-performance electronic components can be used by adopting this kind of heat-radiating structure. Furthermore, the rigidity of the circuit board can be raised by providing the heat transfer layer inside the circuit board. As a result, the deformation of the circuit board due to external forces encountered during dropping, key operation and the like can be suppressed, and the connection reliability of the electronic components can be improved.

Problems solved by technology

As mobile terminal devices are made high in function and performance, the power consumed in the electronic components mounted inside the mobile terminal devices increases.

As a result, the temperature rises in the mobile terminal devices have lead to problems.

However, since mobile terminal devices of recent years have been requested to be reduced further in size and thickness, it is difficult to provide such heat-radiating structures as used in personal computers because of space limitations.

However, the surface area of the housing of the mobile terminal device is small and does not have sufficient heat-radiating efficiency.

Hence, if the amount of heat generated in the electronic components is large, the temperature of the housing eventually rises.

In addition, mobile terminal devices are also required to be reduced in thickness, the clearance between the electronic components and the housing cannot be increased, and the heat generated in the electronic components is transferred immediately to the surface of the housing.

As a result, a problem of local temperature rising at the surface of the housing result.

In particular, if the temperature of the operation member, such as the keys that the user operates, and the temperature of the housing in the vicinity thereof are raised, discomfort is given to the user during operation.

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